727. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has prepared any outline analysis of the total health and financial cost of cigarettes and smoking by Irish citizens to the Irish Exchequer and economy generally during the history of the State and in particular during the past four decades. [12172/15]

728. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has an analysis of the financial cost of the serious health damage being done by smoking of cigarettes during 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015. [12173/15]

Minister for Health (Deputy Leo Varadkar): I propose to take Questions Nos. 727 and 728 together.

There is currently limited information available in Ireland on the costs of tobacco use to our society. A study on the health costs of smoking carried out on behalf of the European Commission estimated that the annual healthcare costs to Ireland in 2009 was €664 million and that the costs of premature mortality due to smoking was €3,507 million. However, the study did not include environmental impacts, or differentiate costs attributable directly to smoking and indirectly to passive smoking.

The Department of Health has commissioned research to be carried out to assess the economic costs of smoking in Ireland. Key items to be included in the analysis are the costs relating to healthcare, morbidity, loss of productivity, mortality, second-hand smoke, fire, and environmental issues such as littering.

It is envisaged that work on the research will commence shortly, with a final report expected before the end of the year.